School ResumesWelcoming students back to HILA

January 7, 2013

Last Day of SchoolLast day before the Winter Break

December 21, 2012

We are proud to announce that the Traveling World of Reptiles will visit HILA on January 24. All students who exhibit HILA PRIDE (preparation, responsibility, independence, dedication and effort) by earning 20 points during December and January will be able to take part in this amazing hands-on presentation. Please encourage your student to always do his or her best to earn the maximum amount of HILA PRIDE points.

The ISAT tests will be coming up soon. During the winter break, you can help your student prepare to do their best on the standardized tests. Here are some websites that provide both fun and the opportunity for students to improve their skills.

• Sample ISAT questions. Allow your student to practice their test-taking skills using grade-appropriate sample test questions. http://metacat2.com/iltestlinks.html

• We Give Books. This website, provided by the Pearson Foundation, provides online books that can help improve reading skills. http://www.wegivebooks.org/books

• The British Council. This website from the United Kingdom provides stories, games, songs, and skill practice. It’s a great way to keep children occupied on winter days. http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/

• Storyline Online. Members of the Screen Actors Guild read stories aloud. http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/

The Hope Institute Learning Academy

Hawk NewsDecember 20, 2012 Volume 2012/Number 4

A Word fromMr. JakubowskiDear Parents and Friends:

I want to wish everyone a safe and healthy holiday season. December has been a busy month and our students have participated in some exciting events (HILA’s Science Fair, Pride Premiere, Chicago Bulls Food Drive, Winter Wonderland Assembly). Our students and staff members have been hard at work this past year and deserve this upcoming two-week break. Winter weather has arrived, so please ensure that your children are bundled up each morning and that they stay home from school if they have a fever. We want everyone here at HILA to remain happy and healthy.

Please continue to ensure that your children are dropped off before 8 a.m. each day and are picked up on time. Students are marked tardy after 8 a.m. Instruction begins promptly at 8:10 a.m., and it is imperative that core instruction minutes are not missed. Plan ahead and prepare for heavier traffic during the winter months. If you are running late, please call the main office and let us know (773) 534-7405.

As we return from the break, our third through fifth grade teachers will be working diligently to prepare our students for the Illinois State Assessment, which will take place from March 4th - 15th. The following link is helpful for students looking to practice ISAT sample questions at home (http://metacat2.com/iltestlinks.html). We will also be starting an ISAT tutoring program when we return from break. The program will run on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:45-4:45 p.m. Twenty students from each grade level (third through fifth) have been selected to participate in this program to further develop skills learned throughout the day. Michael JakubowskiPrincipal(773) 534 - 7405mjakubowski@thehopeinstitute.us

Reptile program to be January PRIDE event

Help your child prepare for ISAT tests

December 20, 2012 Volume 2012/ Number 4Hawk NewsStudents honored for winning science fair projects

Student winners from the HILA Science Fair were honored for their outstanding projects.

We would like to congratulate all of the students who worked hard to prepare projects for the HILA Science Fair. Below you will find a list of our finalists and winners.5th grade: Deshonti Press (1st Place), Mario Dykstra and Sean Miller.4th grade: Emily Gill (1st Place), Bill Sanders and Makyiah Holloway.3rd grade: Kevin Falcon (1st Place), Richard Villarreal and William Slaughter.2nd grade: Josemaria (Chema) Alanis (1st Place), Brandon Harper and Geovanni Juarez.1st grade: Leighton Stephenson (1st Place), Donald Oliph-ant and Myla Roy.Our students worked hard on their science fair projects, and the results were outstanding. Thanks to our parents and families for supporting this effort!

Chicago Bulls food drive at HILA a big success

During the month of November, HILA participated in the Chicago Bulls Food Drive to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. This year’s food drive was an even greater success than last year, with more than 1700 cans collected. Last year, HILA collected 1500 cans of food. The Chicago Bulls provided incentives for students to collect food donations, and each week a winning grade was announced. Winners throughout the food drive included the 3rd grade, who collected the most cans during the first week of the food drive, and 5th grade for the most cans collected the second week. Congratulations to the overall winning class that brought in the most food: Ms. Coleman’s 1st grade class. Even though HILA didn’t win the citywide competition, students showed their HILA PRIDE! All grade levels put in tremendous effort and we thank everyone for their enthusiasm and participation.

Artwork from the new book “The Animal Store Alphabet Book” has been loaned to HILA by the book’s illustrator, Chicago artist Rebecca Hamlin. The book, by author Susan Bearman, is being published this month. www.animalalphabet.com.

Important January datesHere are the dates you need to know for January, 2013:• January 7 - School resumes• January 21 - Holiday, no school• January 24 - PBIS PRIDE Event: Traveling World of

Reptiles• January 25 - Teacher Institute, no school

Have a Happy and Safe Winter Break!